The Big Slice has become quite popular since opening in June. / Jess Heugel/ For the News-Leader

Exterior of The Big Slice. / Jess Heugel/For the News-Leader

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When the Big Slice opened on East Sunshine Street, reader Clay Caldwell was one of the first people to check it out. He noticed one of his Facebook friends liked the restaurant’s page, so he did, too. And now that the restaurant typically has a line out the door duringlunchtime, Clay is proud to say he was among the first to try the New York style pizza place.

Clay's Take

Clay says the restaurant is really similar to the New York Pizzeria that used to be on Campbell Avenue. “You’ll like it; it’s good,” he tells me.

And people must be liking the new New York style pizza place, because it’s always packed. “It’s crazy busy every time I drive by here,” he says. When it first opened, Clay says he was just one of a few who visited, but he’s definitely noticed an uptick. “They get so swamped that they can’t keep up,” he jokes. He notices that when the restaurant first opened, it had only a few employees behind the counter, but now it’s got a crowd of pizza-makers working hard to get those pies in and out of the oven.

Today we order the garlic knots (25 cents each or eight for $1.50), pepperoni pinwheels (35 cents each or four for $1), a Mongo slice ($3.50), a Creamy Spinach slice ($3.50) and a slice of the MediVeggie ($3.50). The thing that makes the pizza so great is that the crust has enough crunch, but Clay is still able to fold it the traditional New York way. The huge slices are a meal in themselves. Clay visits the restaurant about twice a week, and he’s noticed that the crust has improved as the restaurant has become busier. “It’s really good now,” he says of the crust. “I’m sure if you make a few thousand pies, you’re gonna figure it out.”

The garlic knots and pepperoni pinwheels are fairly inexpensive bite-size appetizers, and Clay enjoys them both. “The pinwheels are crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside,” he says.

Clay’s favorite pizza — the Mongo — has all meats cooked to a “beefcake perfection,” the menu says. “I’m more of a meatatarian,” Clay jokes, so the Mongo satisfies his cravings. The Big Slice doesn’t skimp on the toppings, and the huge slices more than fill us up. He also likes the Creamy Spinach, because the white Alfredo sauce gives it a different flavor than the typical tomato sauce pizza.

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Katie's Take

Like Clay, I noticed a buzz about The Big Slice via social media, Facebook in particular. I had several friends check-in at the restaurant, and I noticed they were talking it up. I knew it was a matter of time before I’d get to try it out myself, so Clay’s recommendation was a welcome one.

Springfield has no shortage of pizza places, but there are very few New York style pizzerias. While New York style pizza tastes great — who doesn’t love even more dough, cheese and toppings on those humungous slices? — I love the aesthetic of the large pieces that you can fold in half and make a meal out of. The slices at The Big Slice remind me of almost every New York movie or television show I’ve seen. At some point, someone gets one of those big slices, folds it in half and downs the greasy goodness. So, that’s exactly what Clay and I do. The slices are big enough to share, and since we got three, we each taste test a bit here and there.

I love meat, but unlike Clay, I’m not really a “meatatarian,” and I have a pretty big soft spot for veggies, so I decide to order a Caesar salad ($3.50), too. Though I’m at a pizza place, I’m still incredibly impressed with the freshness of the salad and the fresh herbs and spices on it. This Caesar salad is a bit spicy and actually has me reaching for my iced tea, but it’s a good spicy, and one I’ve never tasted in a Caesar salad before.

I love the Mongo meat pizza — it really is loaded with toppings — and though Clay isn’t into it, I eat quite a bit of the MediVeggie, too. It contains spiced olive oil, tomatoes, mushrooms, onions and olives. The crust isn’t really crispy, so we eat by folding the pieces instead of using our forks and knives. If we’re not careful, the toppings can slide right off, but isn’t that what makes it a true New York pizza? I notice the Big Slice also has lunch specials that include one slice of pizza. With pieces this big, that could easily be enough for one person at lunch.

The Dish, the Restaurant

Levi Grant opened The Big Slice on June 11. “I got tired of bad pizza,” he explains. “I’m a pizza fanatic. I eat pizza every day.” Grant used to work at New York Pizzeria, and he says he was just missing the flavor of New York style pizza. So, he started saving money, and pretty soon, he was able to open his own pizza joint. And others must’ve been craving good pizza, too. “It’s been overwhelmingly busy,” he says. As a matter of fact, the past three weeks have been the restaurant’s busiest. “We started off pretty busy, but it gets busier and busier.”

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Grant’s right-hand man, Nate Doran, created several of the restaurant’s recipes, including the Caesar salad, which Grant says has 15 ingredients. “It has a little kick to it,” he says. The Big Slice also uses Doran’s lasagna recipe. “Everybody who’s had it says it’s the best lasagna they’ve ever had,” Grant says.

The Creamy Spinach pizza Clay and I tried is one of the restaurant’s most popular. They use mozzarella, ricotta, heavy cream, garlic and several different spices to create the creamy pizza.

Grant and his employees make their own dough and use the best Grande Mozzarella they can find. “It’s really the best cheese you can possibly get,” Grant says. To make the crust a traditional New York style crust, he aims for a crispy bottom and a soft inside so customers can fold it in half.

“We’re one of the only places in town that sells large pieces by the slice,” Grant says.

He’s already noticed that he has regulars — some who come in every day. The large slices make for an inexpensive meal. “We try to give everybody their money’s worth.” If the line out the door at lunch is any indication, I’d say Grant’s restaurant idea is working. And when you’re ready to check it out, make sure to call ahead and get that pie in the oven so it’ll be hot and ready for you.